Newspapers and the media are often accused of only reporting the bad things that happen -- and there's some truth in this. And it's particularly easy to fall into this trap in South Carolina where it seems that there is a lot more bad news than good.

To this conclusion I have come: the most deadly years of our lives are the ages 16 to 21. Those years give us a headiness that comes from new freedom -- a driver's license -- and the passing of the torch from strict childhood rules to more trust, different restraints and relaxed curfews.

While a small child and later, my parents tried to teach me the moral and religious principle, "One gets by giving." The lesson didn't "take" until later in life when I came to understand more fully the principle, "It is more blessed to give than to receive."

August 04, 2014|
By Harvey S. Teal
Provided by the Kershaw County Historical Society
|Columns

There may still be about 1.4 million U.S. veterans of World War II still living, but the passing last week of Capt. Theodore "Dutch" Van Kirk, 93, in Stone Mountain, Ga., in many closes the story of that war.

When elected officials from different South Carolina cities meet to discuss economic development, the oft-heard cry is, "Let's work together!" The energy in these conversations is palpable, even though it's not yet clear how we can partner. For that reason, at the Municipal Association of South Carolina's (MASC) annual meeting in Charleston this July, its Achievement Awards were particularly exciting. If we can do nothing else, from city to city, we can learn from each other's ideas and borrow courage from one another's progress.

Family. You hear a lot about the importance of family, but do you really put that into practice? Think about your own household. I don't know what goes on at your house, but I do know that people are really busy these days, trying to fit everything they can into their lives. Unfortunately, something they may forget to include in their lives is each other.

Hey, y'all! I am Jim McGowan. I am the most recent addition to the award-winning staff of the Chronicle-Independent. I can only hope to live up to their high standards. It will not be easy. I will be the Localife editor and cover the education beat.

I remember once I was giving a presentation about important conservation properties in the Piedmont. I showed photos of the incredible rock formations on a particular property and happened to mention their age in an effort to describe their grandeur. Afterwards, I was confronted by an indignant man who told me that the age of rocks cannot be known. He accused me of making those figures up out of thin air. Surprised by his vociferous tone, I told him I was sorry to have upset him. While not a confrontational person, I am a teacher, and I began to politely ...

WASHINGTON -- "Checked the tax code," wrote a friend who's engaged to a woman from a low-tax country. "Unfortunately, marrying [my fiancee] does not entitle me to a tax inversion like the big U.S. companies are getting. Thanks for nothing, IRS."